Game of the Weekend Recap: FDU Sweeps Lafayette, And Then FDU Sweeps Lafayette.
The weekend series between Fairleigh Dickinson (FDU) and Lafayette was a thrilling two-match showdown as part of the FDU Invitational, with the Knights taking both games in dominant sweeps. The Knights showed their grit, stellar offensive firepower, and defensive prowess to claim consecutive 3-0 victories, leaving Lafayette unable to find a foothold throughout the weekend.
In the first game on Friday, FDU put on an offensive clinic, overcoming an early deficit in the first set to beat Lafayette 25-20. Despite trailing 14-10 at one point, the Knights regrouped behind key kills from sophomore Avery Bain and a strong defensive stand, holding Lafayette to a .053 hitting percentage. FDU closed the set on a 15-6 run, setting the tone for the rest of the match.
The second set was all about the Knights' offense, led by junior Kylie Nott, who racked up seven kills while hitting an astounding .875. The Knights’ aggressive attack helped them pull away with a 25-17 victory, capitalizing on 18 kills on just 33 swings. They cruised through the final set, with senior Hannah Schmidt serving three consecutive aces to open the set. FDU built an early lead, with Lafayette briefly tying the score at 10-10, but the Knights pulled away once again, winning 25-16 to complete their first sweep of the season.
The Saturday rematch followed a similar pattern, as FDU once again swept Lafayette 3-0. In the opening set, the Knights jumped out to a commanding 15-9 lead, only for Lafayette to close the gap late in the set. However, FDU’s offense proved too much, securing a 25-20 win with key kills from Bain and a strong showing from the team’s defense.
Set two saw Lafayette take an early 11-6 lead, but FDU stormed back with an 8-1 run fueled by attack errors from Lafayette and three kills from Samantha Wittholz. The Knights eventually pulled away to take the set 25-17. In the third and final set, Lafayette made a push to close the gap, cutting the deficit to just one point at 21-20. However, FDU responded with a 6-1 run to secure the set 25-20 and sweep the match.
Across both matches, several Knights stood out. Sophomore Avery Bain was a consistent force, leading the team with 10 kills in each match. Junior Kylie Nott added 13 kills across the two games, while MacKenzy Ruggiero was instrumental with 11 kills in Saturday’s game. Defensively, the Knights were anchored by Emily Van O’Linda, who had 17 digs in Saturday’s game alone, and Hannah Schmidt, whose aces and assists were crucial in maintaining FDU’s dominance.
FDU’s aggressive play and consistency throughout the weekend highlighted their potential for the season. With their offense firing on all cylinders and their defense holding strong, the Knights were able to make quick work of Lafayette in both contests, improving their record to 4-4 on the season. They would lose a match to Fordham 2-3 later in the day on Saturday to bring them to 4-5 at the close of the weekend.
